I've just come back from a short trip to Athens. Now the Greeks are not especially recognised for their wine and so it was with some trepidation that I thought I would try some of their local Reds to see how they were doing. Choosing one to try from labels that look like spiders have crawled all over them was hard but I did recognise Cabernet Sauvignon on a couple and being a creature of habit headed straight for what I like.
I am delighted to report that they were not bad at all. Like the french they tend to be nationalistic about their choices so it was impossible to get anything other than Greek wine but I am glad that the standard has improved way beyond my previous visit nearly 20 years ago. The reds were robust, fruity and very similar to South America in taste and style. Apparently there are over 300 indigenous grape varieties in Greece of which about 60 are used today.
My advice would be to give them a go, if you can find any. My local branch of Oddbins does have one or two so if you are fed up with the usual suspects then impress your friends with something different. The best selection I have found is through mail order at Yamas Wines so if you are feeling brave give it a try, you might surprise yourself...
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3 comments:
I've heard that anything with a rooster on the front and 'Santorini' on the back label goes down just fine ;-)
Thanks MG, very helpful. We are just planning our trip to New Zealand so it won't surprise you to know that at the moment it looks like a massive wine tour around the south island! Lots more to follow on NZ wines later in the year...
I can assure you that your Marlborough leg will be sensational. A 'horizontal' tasting of Sav Blancs from Awatere Valley to Kaituna Valley - East to West. You'll have a great time.
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